Harlan Ellison, Hannah Gadsby, and the Art of Transgression

On same day that I heard about the death of Harlan Ellison, I watched Hannah Gadsby’s Netflix special, “Nanette.” The juxtaposition did not go unnoticed, by me anyway. One artist shocked the world with their rage and anger, creating new stories that didn’t just subvert, they blew up the whole field, electrifying it for everyone else. The other one grabbed Connie Willis’s breast. So why compare these two completely different writers? They are both defined Read more…

Writing Lessons

I admit it — I’m a bad student. I hate learning new things. I hate the feeling of not fully understanding something. I hate practicing, even though now as an adult I know that practice trumps innate talent every time. Frankly, I’m kind of surprised that I was able to power through my apprenticeship as a writer, starting back in 1993, when I decided it was time to put up or shut up about wanting Read more…

Upcoming event: WLT Agents & Editors Conference

I am pleased to announce that I will be participating in the Writers League of Texas Agents & Editors Conference, June 29-July 1, 2018. This is the premier writing event in Austin, and I’m so excited to be taking part again. I’m scheduled for the following panel: “Turning Your Worldbuilding into Drama” with Connor Goldsmith (Fuse Literary), José Skinner (acclaimed short story author), and Sherry Thomas (novelist), moderated by Jason Neulander. In other news, I’ve turned Read more…